Looking for alternative and non-touristy things to do in Kutaisi? Here is my list of 25 hidden gems, quirky attractions and non-touristy experiences in Georgia’s fourth-largest city.
Looking for all the best things to do in Kutaisi, including the classics? My 1-4 day Kutaisi itinerary covers all the greatest hits.
It could be argued that the whole of Kutaisi is a bit of a hidden gem.
Despite being Georgia’s fourth-largest city, many people still skim over it – which is a huge shame because aside from the popular attractions, Kutaisi is overflowing with weird and wonderful things to do.
Since moving to Kutaisi in 2021 I have had fun discovering the city’s quirky side, exploring lesser-visited backstreets that tourists usually skip. I have my local friends to thank for sharing many of these Kutaisi hidden gems with me. Others I found myself by poking around with my camera.
From historic homes and secret museums to Soviet throwbacks and local beer halls, here are 25 of my favourite alternative things to do in Kutaisi.
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Hidden gems in Kutaisi
Even if you only have a few days to spend in the city, be sure to incorporate a few of these into your Kutaisi itinerary!
1. Imereti Market Hall
The historic Green Bazaar in the centre of Kutaisi (with the Kolkhida bas-relief out front) is one of my favourite markets in all of Georgia. On the opposite side of the Rioni River, you’ll find a more modern but no less impressive market area which I like to refer to as ‘the Big Market’.
The Big Market is where the local Kutaisians come to shop. Stretching out over several city blocks around the Central Bus Station, it’s a huge area encompassing multiple open-air and undercover bazaars.
Within this jumble of fruit stalls, flower shops and second-hand clothing emporiums lies one of the most decadent market halls I’ve ever seen in my life. Known as ‘Imereti’, it houses haberdashery and linen shops, mainly selling curtains, duvets and the like.
The interior part of the hall is decorated with Roman-style sculptures, Greek columns, faux marble fountains, and ceiling friezes depicting cherubs shopping for fabric and trying on shoes.
The adjoining open area, a huge warehouse-style space with high vaulted ceilings – sells fresh produce and meat. It’s like an art museum slash market – stallholders sit beneath huge painted canvases mounted overhead. There’s one particularly beautiful still-life that I think could be a Lado Gudiashvili (the same artist who painted the icons inside Kashueti Church in Tbilisi).
Also in this area there’s a very strange homage to the Georgian painter Niko Pirosmani. A faux-brick spiral staircase leads to a mezzanine where a fake Pirosmani overlooks the market floor. Search for the little bronze-effect panels of different Pirosmani paintings arranged around the room’s periphery – including one of the iconic ‘Fisherman in a Red Shirt’ (1908).
This market is a mind bender. It’s definitely post-Soviet – the year 2002 is inscribed on the gate to the nearby Oasis Market, and it was likely built around the same time.
Location: Chavchavadze Avenue (near Central Bus Station)
2. Kutaisi Synagogue & the Jewish Quarter
Georgia’s Jewish community is one of the oldest in Europe, with many families tracing their ancestry back to the Babylonian captivity of the 6th century.
Kutaisi was once home to one of the country’s biggest Jewish communities – today there are few people left, but there are beautiful reminders of their legacy all over the city (if you’re taking the train to Tbilisi or Batumi, you might spot the Star of David symbol inside Rioni Railway Station).
Kutaisi’s historic Jewish neighbourhood is located behind the Colchis Fountain. (My friend who grew up under communism remembers visiting this district during her childhood to buy contraband goodies such as American candy!)
Its centrepiece is the Kutaisi Synagogue, the second-largest in Georgia after the Great Synagogue in Tbilisi. Completed in 1886, it has a perfect symmetrical stone facade and an extravagant painted interior. A second synagogue, added in 1912, faces onto the big synagogue and is much smaller. Further down the same street, a third synagogue, the Old Synagogue, is the most senior of the trio, dating back to 1852.
Boris Gaponov Street is a joy to explore, with many interesting pieces of architecture along the way. The street’s namesake was a prominent member of the Jewish community and is credited with translating Shota Rustaveli’s The Knight in the Panther’s Skin from Georgian into Hebrew. There is a darling memorial to Gaponov in front of the synagogue.
Most Jewish families left for Israel during the Soviet period, but there are still enough worshippers in Kutaisi to make up a minyan. The main synagogue is lovingly maintained and there are often people around the yard who can open up the door for you to peek inside.
Tip: Contact Kutaisi Tourist Information to organise your visit to the synagogue. Staff will call the caretaker to let you in.
Location: Boris Gaponov Street & around
3. Mtsvanekvavila Pantheon
If you’re taking a day trip from Kutaisi to Gelati and Motsameta, you might spot the top of Mtsvanekvavila Temple (St. Archangels Basilica) peeking out above the treeline on your drive out of town. Crafted from buff sandstone and with a silvery dome, it’s one of the most beautiful churches in Kutaisi.
In Soviet times, this was one of only two Orthodox churches in Kutaisi that was permitted to stay open – the other one being the Annunciation Church, next on this list. (In Tbilisi, it was Sioni Cathedral and Kashueti Church that still functioned.)
The Mtsvanekvavila (‘Green Flower’) Pantheon envelops the church and is the final resting place of some of Kutaisi’s most prominent residents. Much like Mtatsminda Pantheon in Tbilisi, it has many unusual and exuberant gravestones dating back as far as the 1800s. There’s also a handsome stone building covered with vines.
On the river-facing side of the churchyard there’s a platform that offers some of the best views of Kutaisi. You can see the Old Synagogue, the Rioni River, and a sea of houses. It’s especially nice at sunset.
Mtsvanekvavila is located on the hill and is a bit tricky to access: The best way in is from Kibuli Street, but there are also stairs up from Mtsvanekvavila Street on the river. Either way, there is a bit of uphill walking required, but the views are absolutely worth it.
Location: Enter from Kibuli Street
4. Kutaisi Holy Annunciation Temple & the French Quarter
Holy Annunciation Temple is another unusual and lesser-visited church in Kutaisi. Located on the riverside several blocks back from Meskhishvili Theatre and opposite the Jewish Quarter, it was consecrated in 1862.
Quite unlike any other Orthodox church in Georgia, it has a trio of arched buttresses on the front facade inscribed with the words ‘Immaculate Conception’. This is enough to tell you the building did not always belong to the Orthodox Church – it started life as a Catholic church.
It was originally a wooden church built on the orders of King Solomon for the Capuchin missionaries who emigrated to Kutaisi during the 17th century. Some people contest this version of history and insist that the church was originally Orthodox before it was modified in the 1940s. Today there is an ongoing dispute over who owns it.
Kutaisi’s ‘French Quarter’ radiates out around the church. The name might be a bit of a misnomer: Kutaisi does have a very strong French heritage (the famous Mon Plaisir Arch, covered next on this list, is a tribute to that) but in the past, the term ‘French’ was used to refer to anyone of Catholic denomination. So it might be more accurate to call this the ‘Catholic Quarter’.
As with the Jewish neighbourhood, there are some very distinct and unusual buildings in this area, especially along Newport and Varlamishvili streets. Another nearby church, St. George’s, was founded as an Armenian Apostolic Church and was also (re)converted into an Orthodox house of worship.
Location: Varlamishvili Street & around
5. Mon Plaisir Arch & the ‘Wall of Love’
This grand stone archway on St. Nino Street is one of Kutaisi’s most recognisable landmarks. Still, it’s easy to miss if you don’t look up!
The curved Art Nouveau edifice is inscribed with the phrase Mon Plaisir meaning ‘My Pleasure’ in French. I don’t fully appreciate the significance, but I love it. Much as the thresholds of Tbilisi’s merchant mansions are stamped with Salve meaning ‘Good Health’ in Latin.
Mon Plaisir is a reminder of Kutaisi’s French heritage. In the past it was the entrance to a cinema house, and it was closed off with a beautiful wooden door and stained glass panelling. From photos, I can see its appearance was reminiscent of Marjanishvili Theatre in Tbilisi.
Today there is a short pedestrianised street inside the arch with a couple of restaurants and bars. Kutaisi’s very own ‘Wall of Love’ (modelled off the one in Montmartre) is covered with vibrant street murals, including the larger-than-life ‘Kutaisi beauty’ with her billowing blue hair. Created by French street artist Vinie Graffiti in 2016, she is a symbol of Kutaisi.
(Update: Sadly in 2024 this mural was partially painted over! Hopefully it will be restored soon.)
Mon Plaisir also marks the entrance to Kutaisi’s Royal District where the city’s most beautiful old architecture is located. A second former theatre, the Radium, retains its original facade and is located around the corner on Tsisperi Kantselebi Street.
Location: Off Tsminda Nino Street
6. Palace of the Kings (Ukimerioni Fortress)
Everyone knows Bagrati Cathedral is a must-see in Kutaisi – but not everyone realises there are ancient ruins scattered all around the church yard. The first few times I visited Kutaisi I overlooked the stone ramparts and towers completely. These form an important part of Bagrati’s – and Kutaisi’s – history.
Ukimerioni Fortress was an important strategic site in the days of the Kingdom of Abkhazia (AKA the Kingdom of Egrisi), established in the 780s. Standing in the grounds, it’s easy to see why: The castle ruins are perched high on a hill (which is still called Ukimerioni to this day) and look directly over the Rioni River.
Presumably the castle was destroyed and in 1003, Bagrati Cathedral was constructed on the same site. It too was decimated by Ottoman invaders and existed as mere ruins for decades until the rebuilding process started in the 1950s.
Making a pilgrimage to Bagrati is mandatory for all visitors. While you’re there, be sure to look beyond the cathedral itself and explore the fortress remnants. There are old walls and parapets to the east, and a big section of wall to the south that is a terrific place to watch the sunset.
Across the road, beneath the brick wall covered with vines, you’ll see the remains of a giant clay qvevri emerging from the earth.
Location: On the grounds of Bagrati Cathedral
7. Chapel Carved from Wood
Kutaisi’s Chapel Carved from Wood (Kheshi Nakveti Samlotsvelo) – AKA ‘Shrine in a Tree’ – has to be the smallest church in Georgia. Big enough to fit just one or two devotees, it is nestled in the hollowed-out trunk of a living tree.
In summer, you usually have to queue to get a peek inside. The interior of the tiny chapel is decorated with hanging icon paintings, lit by a shard of light that pierces through a small opening in the top. A church bell hangs from a nearby branch, and there is a votive stand where people come to light candles.
The chapel is located inside the Kutaisi Botanical Garden on the riverside in the north of the city. Founded in 1969, it was first established as a farm garden in the 1840s and is home to 700 species of flora, many grown from seeds sourced across the former Soviet Union from arboretums in Moscow, Kiev, Donetsk, Riga and beyond.
Location: Inside Kutaisi Botanical Garden
8. The Book Bazaar
Located in the centre of town on the corner near the Green Bazaar, this sprawling daily book market sits underneath the distinctive Soviet-era Detski Mir building. Mountains of novels, stationery and school supplies line the tables.
A lot of the materials are new school curriculum books, but you can often find some real gems if you go rummaging deep enough through the piles of second-hand novels (I once bought a retro Kutaisi guidebook here for 5 GEL).
At the back of the book bazaar there’s a very Parisian-looking picture framers – complete with a little Moulin Rouge windmill above the door!
Location: Cnr of Paliashvili & Tsminda Nino sts
9. Khechinashvili House
If you’re into architecture and entryways, you’ll know that Tbilisi’s Sololaki and Chugureti neighbourhoods are brimming with beautiful homes. Kutaisi has its fair share of lovely private houses, too – many of which belonged to the city’s most prominent business people and creatives.
Every house on Lermontov Street (behind the Green Bazaar) has interesting facade details. Number 11 stands out for its decorative diamond stonework. Unlike the others, you can venture inside this house because today, it is a shop.
Originally built in the 1880s, it belonged to Simon Khechinashvili, a prominent Kutaisi physician. Now it must be the most beautiful hardware store in Georgia! The new owners of the house have kept many of the fine interior details intact, including the cornices, ceiling roses, and a pair of old-style ceramic stoves.
Location: 11 Mikhail Lermontov Street
10. Pharmacy #8
Another hidden gem on Lermontov Street, Pharmacy #8 looks like any other small, privately run chemist from the outside. But apparently this is no ordinary pharmacy – this is where a young Mitropan Lagidze, who famously created the popular Georgian drink Lagidze Water, worked as an assistant pharmacist. It’s said that a teenaged Lagidze whipped up his first natural lemonades at this address.
At the back of the pharmacy there are several small rooms that staff have preserved as a sort of museum. There is a display of old jars, vials and scales, and at the very rear, a tiny room with arched ceilings where Lagidze used to sleep.
Head pharmacist Gunara has been working here for almost 50 years. She and her colleague Manana very graciously showed me around and even gifted me several homemade face creams to take home!
Update: Sadly the pharmacy is temporarily closed with a ‘For sale’ sign hanging in the window. Hopefully a new tenant will move in soon and keep the small museum going. Updates to come.
Location: 16 Mikhail Lermontov Street
11. Georgian Beer Hall
Kutaisi has plenty of trendy wine bars, rooftop bars – and even a few clubs. But if you want a truly local drinking experience, wet your whistle at a traditional Georgian Beer Hall.
This subterranean drinking hole isn’t much to look at, but it’s all about the atmosphere. Much like Bikentia’s restaurant (next on this list) it harks back to simpler times when neighbourhood bars like this were the norm.
Prices also recall days gone by: Draught beer costs just 2 GEL, and there are beer snacks including salty fish and mtsvadi BBQ skewers available.
Location: 16 Mikhail Lermontov Street (next to Pharmacy #8)
12. Bikentia’s Kebabery
For those of us who live in Kutaisi, Bikentia’s Kebabery is the opposite of a hidden gem: It’s a Kutaisi institution! It continues to be one of the most popular restaurants in the city. Eating a meal here is a must-do for all visitors.
A true worker’s lunch spot, it’s very Soviet in both style and service (staff are very sweet, though!). There are no seats, only high benches that you stand at while eating. And there’s only one thing on the menu: Meat kebab swimming in spicy satsebeli tomato sauce, garnished with chopped onions and parsley.
For 10 GEL (note that it’s cash only), you also get a half-loaf of white bread on the side to mop up the sauce plus a beer or a bottle of lemonade to wash it down. You definitely need that drink because the sauce is quite spicy. An additional beer, if you need it, costs 1.50 GEL.
There’s no menu as such (only a sign behind the counter), and the staff don’t speak much English, so practice saying ‘Erti kebabi da ludi’ (one kebab and beer) before you go. Technically there is one more item available, pork mtsvadi for 9 GEL, but go the local route and opt for the kebab – it’s delicious!
Location: 9 Tsisperi Kantselebi Street
13. Photo-cinema Chronicle Museum
There are a number of charming small museums in Kutaisi, including the Museum of Georgian Sports and the National Museum of Military Glory. If you have time, both are definitely worth a short visit along with the main State Historical Museum.
The tiny Photo-cinema Chronicle Museum is even smaller and more obscure, but it’s full of treasures. Staff only speak Georgian and Russian, but the old photographs and clippings on display in the one-room exhibition speak for themselves. Archival images of old Kutaisi – Stalin and Lenin statues, trams and all – reveal the history of the city.
Entry is free but donations are welcome. The museum’s official hours are 10am-6pm weekdays, but be warned that the team of staff is small so it’s often unattended.
Location: 7 Newport Street
14. Kutaisi Library
The reading rooms at the Kutaisi Library might be more Breakfast Club than Hogwarts, but this whole place is a blast from the past and quite fun to wander around.
Part of the Kutaisi Public Library – one of the oldest libraries in Georgia, dating back to 1873 – the city branch on the park has been located in this spot since 1934. I’m told that in the past, the pavement in front of the library had a special brick pattern so that anyone from out of town could recognise it. How sweet is that!
The library holds an impressive collection of more than one million books, including some rare tomes that date back to the 15th century. Most are kept in storage in the deepest, darkest corners of the former mansion house. The plasterwork details and old ceramic fireplaces are just stunning.
Along with rows of books and original parquet floors, you’ll see some interesting wall art and catch a nice view of the city from the upper level window. My favourite ‘discovery’ sits underneath the stairs in the entry: A modified Karl Krause book spindle press that was made in Leipzig.
Register at the front desk or buy a library pass and visit whenever you want. Most of the literature is in Georgian or Russian, but there is plenty of seating which makes it a nice, quiet place to work from. Staff are exceptionally welcoming – tell Nino I said hello!
Location: Cnr Paliashvili & Lermontov sts
15. ‘China House’
This unusual building on Tamar Mepe Street is hard to miss. Nicknamed ‘China House’ – either because Chinese immigrants worked on its construction, or because the architecture looks a bit Oriental – it has incredible ironwork and stucco trims.
Believe it or not, Kutaisi’s most popular nightclub is located inside along with a cool cocktail bar. Directly opposite, the main post office is a grand Gothic-like building with arched windows.
Location: 60 Tamar The Queen Street
16. Architecture on Tician Tabidze & Gelati streets
Kutaisi has its own brand of vernacular architecture: Stout two-storey houses faced with creamy stone, with twin doorways and big stone balconies. This duo of residential streets are two of my favourites for local buildings.
Tician Tabidze Street arcs around the back of the State University, linking Tamar Mepe (near China House) and Solomon The First Street. There are so many beautiful houses on this stretch, particularly at the southern end. This building, currently used by the defence ministry, must have been a palace in a former life.
Gelati Street is more central. It runs from the Colchis Fountain up the hill – you can follow it all the way to Gelati Monastery. The row houses here have incredible hardwood doors – some of which reach two or three levels high – and incredible detailed flourishes such as miniature stone faces above the windows and florid inscriptions on the metal letter drops.
I love this quote from Georgian author Aka Morchiladze about Kutaisi and its architecture: “One of the biggest wonders of Old Kutaisi was that there was not just someone living there. Anyone who lived there was definitely someone. For strangers, the faces of this city were the houses.”
17. Former Wedding Palace in Balakhvani
In front of Kutaisi I Railway Station there is a big equestrian statue of King David the Builder. The cascading staircase – built in the late 1940s and refurbished in 2022 – leads to the Balakhvani neighbourhood.
When I first arrived in Kutaisi, I lived in Balakhvani for a year and walked these streets countless times. The main avenue is dominated by two Stalinist-style apartment buildings – one with a belvedere. Beneath the tower, there is a delightful bas-relief that I stop and admire every time I go by.
Having seen a similar decoration in Chugureti in Tbilisi, I had an inkling that this sculpture – which depicts a man and woman looking lovingly into each other’s eyes, intertwined with doves and grapes – might have been for a wedding palace. My suspicions were confirmed when I met a woman in Baghdati who knew the place well and actually had her nuptials here!
Wedding palaces were a Soviet invention to centralise (and sanitise) weddings and prevent couples from tying the knot in church (church weddings were actually banned). I suppose it was the equivalent of getting married at a registry office. It’s very sad to think these places were designed to break tradition and suppress religious freedom, but that doesn’t detract from the craftsmanship of the mosaics and sculptures that adorn them.
There is a second wedding palace in Kutaisi on the opposite side of the river – a freestanding building with a much larger bas-relief panel wrapped around the entire facade.
Location: David Aghmashenebeli Avenue
18. Soviet-era bas-reliefs & mosaics
On the topic of bas-reliefs – there are plenty of other artistic edifices of Soviet vintage dotted around Kutaisi. The concentration is actually quite high for a city of its size – and that’s because when Georgia was part of the USSR, the Soviets had a vision for Kutaisi to be the Republic’s industrial hub.
Car factories, corn distribution centres, hydro dams and other manufacturing facilities sprung up on the city outskirts (see the smoke stacks on the horizon?) while Kutaisi’s intelligentsia and artistic community were simultaneously forced out of the city.
One of my favourite bas-reliefs is located at the petrol station underneath Bagrati Cathedral. The massive Kolkhida sculpture on the side of the Green Bazaar is well-known, but I found another Jason and the Golden Fleece-inspired design hiding inside an abandoned restaurant along the park.
Most Soviet-era mosaics are long gone, but a few large-scale works can be found near the Central Bus Station and the Big Market – including a pair of interesting apartment block facades on Chavchavadze Avenue.
My favourite mosaic pannos in Kutaisi can be found on the former tea pavilion on Nikea Street. Created in 1987 by the artist Nodar Malazonia, the mosaics on one side of the triangle-shaped building depict Georgian folk motifs in a simple palette of blue and white, and typical communistic-style characters on the other sides.
19. Soviet-era sculpture ‘graveyard’
There must have been dozens of Soviet-style statues in Kutaisi that were either damaged or came to a natural end. Some of them ended up in the courtyard of the David Kakabadze Art Gallery, which is something of a graveyard for old sculptures.
There are several damaged statues kept here, including what I think might be the original ‘Furious Gurian’ from Lanchkhuti. They aren’t on display so much as stuffed in the corner – I guess that when it comes to sculptures, this courtyard is Kutaisi’s equivalent of the junk drawer. (There is a notable absence of Stalin and Lenin statues, though – I guess these were disposed of elsewhere.)
The one pictured of a mother holding her child overhead is quite sweet. I have no idea where it originally stood, but I would love to find out.
Location: David Kakabadze Gallery (on Rustaveli Avenue)
20. Sapichkhia district, one of my favourite hidden gems in Kutaisi
One of Kutaisi’s oldest neighbourhoods, Sapichkhia runs over the hills on the north-eastern side of the city. This area is mostly residential with an old-timey vibe, making it perfect for an afternoon stroll. There are several points of interest to see along the way.
The humble Ascension Church is the centerpoint of the area – sitting right behind the main intersection and fountain, you can’t miss it. Designed by Giorgi Shablakhov and Christopher Tofalov, it was consecrated in October 1893 and functioned as an Orthodox Church until 1940 when it was transformed into a warehouse then a library. In 1989 it was reinstated.
Not far from the church, Sapichkhia Railway Station once serviced trains coming into Kutaisi from Upper Imereti. Today it is abandoned, used only for hanging laundry and as a shortcut to get from one side of the suburb to the other. For an easy hike, you can follow the train tracks all the way up to Gelati and Motsameta monasteries.
The gorgeous house with twin lions guarding the door, pictured above, is located around the corner from the train station.
West of the train station, Nighbebis Teatri or the Mask Theatre is the most unusual of Kutaisi’s half a dozen playhouses. Located inside Kharazov Park, it is not currently in use so you can’t go inside unfortunately, but you can certainly admire the curved Art Nouveau-esque facade.
Finally, at the southern end of the district behind the new train station, Sapichkhia Cemetery contains a walled-off old Jewish Cemetery, which has some hauntingly beautiful gravestones.
Location: Solomon Pirveli Street & around
21. Former Military Academy
I couldn’t put together a list of Kutaisi hidden gems without including a few abandoned buildings, could I? Nicknamed ‘the Kutaisi Colosseum’, this one is probably my favourite. As I understand it, it is a former military academy that was built in the second half of the 19th century.
During the days of the Russian Empire, the Bessarabia regiments from Tiraspol in Moldova were stationed here. The building was abandoned when the Soviet army exited Georgia and then, following a particularly ferocious snowstorm in the 1990s, it was heavily damaged and abandoned.
One half of the building is occupied by a hotel, but it is also abandoned. You can climb inside the open part of the ruins and up to the second level – but do be extremely careful as there is a lot of broken glass and debris around.
Location: Grigol Khandzteli Street
22. Former Prison #7 (Stalin’s Prison)
On the next block over you’ll find a two-storey yellow building with barred windows and a watchtower. Prison #7’s most infamous inmate was a young Joseph Stalin, who was incarcerated here following his first arrest in Batumi in 1903.
Incredibly, the prison was still functioning up until fairly recently. It’s completely abandoned now and it’s not possible to enter – but there are rumours that it will be turned into a hotel.
Location: Galaktion Tabidze Street
23. Former Hotel Tbilisi & Former Hotel White Stones
There are at least two semi-abandoned hotels in Kutaisi. Much like the sanatoriums in nearby Tskaltubo, they were both repurposed as housing for internally displaced families fleeing Abkhazia during the 1992-3 civil war.
The first, Hotel Tbilisi, is a typical Brutalist building with a yellow stone facade and its name written above the door in both Georgian and Russian. In Soviet times this would have been a classy establishment. Despite its terrible state, some families still live here. For this reason, I don’t recommend going inside.
Update: The Hotel Tbilisi was demolished in July 2024.
The second, the former Hotel White Stones (now known as Khvamli Turbaza), is even more striking. You might even describe it as an eyesore, as one of my friends does. Located opposite the Botanical Garden, it pops out of the hillside like a long-lost spacecraft.
A real estate agent once told me this part of Kutaisi was a tourist zone during the Soviet period, and that there were many guesthouses and hotels here surrounded by tangerine groves. The word turbaza means something like ‘tourist camp’. I’m guessing this used to be a sanatorium-style accommodation with views of Khvamli Mountain.
Location: Cnr of Lado Asatiani Street & Aghmashenebeli Avenue (Hotel Tbilisi) & David and Constantine Mkheidze Street (Hotel Khvamli Turbaza).
24. Street art at Kutaisi International University
It’s true that Kutaisi hasn’t fully embraced the street art trend like Tbilisi or Batumi – but that doesn’t mean you can’t find some awesome murals around the place, provided you know where to look.
My favourite mural is right behind the theatre – find the location and info about the artist and his inspiration here in my Kutaisi Guide.
While there are a few more works in the centre around the Mon Plaisir Arch and tucked away in the residential areas near Kutaisi I Railway Station and Central Bus Station, one place you absolutely must visit if you’re a fan of street art is Kutaisi International University.
KIU opened its campus in 2020 in the south of the city, around 7.5 km from the Colchis Fountain. To get there, you can take city bus #3, which costs just 60 tetri and takes around 40 minutes.
The university is brand spanking new, with a dozen or so multi-storey buildings housing lecture halls, student dorms and recreational spaces. Just about every end facade is adorned with an incredible large-scale street mural, most painted in 2020 as part of the inaugural KIU Mural Fest.
Works range from the cheerful ‘Woman with cat’ by Belgrade-based Artez, to the dark and brooding ‘Hyperthinker’ by INO. My personal favourite is definitely the photorealist mural of a man with his hands clasped behind his head, created by Frankfurt-based Case Maclaim (who also painted one of my favourite murals in Tirana, Albania).
Note that you cannot enter the campus without an ID, but you can view the murals from outside the fence.
Location: Kutaisi International University (off SH14)
25. Saghoria Forest
Close to KIU and similarly easy to reach by public bus, Saghoria Forest is a beautiful patch of green space that wraps around the highway between Kutaisi and Rioni train station. I first drove through this area in autumn on my way to visit Sairme and Baghdati and was overwhelmed by how beautiful it is – and it’s so close to the city centre!
This road is one of the most scenic stretches to drive in Georgia. Within the space of just a few minutes you’re deep in the forest. Eventually the road reaches through the Zekari Pass, taking you all the way to Abastumani.
Known as the King’s Forest, Saghoria (literally meaning ‘a place for pigs’) is where Imereti’s royal family used to do their hunting. Just across the Rioni, you’ll find the ruins of Geguti Palace, the former royal residence.
This is all deciduous forest that changes colour with the seasons. I highly recommend visiting in November when the fall foliage is in full swing. In early autumn you’ll see people foraging for Caesar’s mushrooms on the roadside – Saghoria Forest is one of the few places in Georgia where these giant orange fungi grow.
To get to Saghoria Forest, take city bus #3, which stops at the Kutaisi International University first then continues to Rioni Railway Station. Geguti Fortress is on the opposite side of the river – you might be able to walk there, otherwise you can reach it by taxi from the centre of Kutaisi.
Location: Near Kutaisi International University
Where to stay in Kutaisi
If it’s your first time visiting Kutaisi, I highly recommend choosing a hotel that’s located in the city centre. See this neighbourhood guide for detailed recommendations, or check out my top Kutaisi accommodation picks below.
TOP CHOICE: Communal Hotel (⭐ 9.7). Launching in autumn 2023, the latest offering from The Communal Company (also of Communal Telavi and Tbilisi) is Kutaisi’s premier boutique hotel. Rooms are cosy and perfectly decorated, and the property has an outdoor pool and onsite restaurant-bar, Doli.
BUDGET-FRIENDLY: Black Tomato (⭐ 9.2). This popular hostel in historic Sapichkhia offers both dorms and private doubles with ensuites. The terrace garden is lovely, and the onsite Georgian-Jewish restaurant serves a delicious breakfast plus meals throughout the day.
MID-RANGE: Newport Hotel (⭐ 9.1). Located on the cusp of Kutaisi’s historic Jewish Quarter, behind the Colchis Fountain, this hotel is located inside the former Kutaisi Courthouse. Rooms are comfortable, the service is friendly, and the onsite bar-restaurant is excellent.
MID-RANGE: Hotel 1887 (⭐ 9.2). This historic 19th-century house is a 10-minute walk from the Colchis Fountain. Rooms pair original wooden panelling and parquet floors with minimal, Scandi-style furnishings. There is a garden, and some rooms have private balconies.
UP-SCALE: Hotel Grand Opera (⭐ 8.7). Situated in the heart of Kutaisi centre, this hotel has a magnificent rooftop bar overlooking the Opera Theatre. Expect well-appointed rooms and a generous breakfast from this hotel with a location that’s impossible to beat.
Georgia essentials
Here are the websites and services I personally use and recommend for Georgia. Check out my full list of travel resources for more tips.
FLIGHTS: Search for affordable flights to Tbilisi, Batumi or Kutaisi on Skyscanner.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: Insure your trip with HeyMondo, my preferred provider for single-trip and annual travel insurance (get 5% off when you book with my link).
SIM CARD: Magti is my preferred provider, with prices starting from 9 GEL/week for unlimited data. See this guide for all the details about buying a Georgian SIM card.
AIRPORT TRANSFERS: Most flights into Georgia arrive in the early hours. For ease, pre-book a private transfer from Tbilisi Airport to your hotel (from $17) or from Kutaisi Airport to Tbilisi (from $90) with my partners at GoTrip.ge.
ACCOMMODATION: Booking.com is the most widely used platform in Georgia. Use it to find family guesthouses, private apartments, hostels and hotels around the country.
CAR HIRE: Find a great deal on a rental car in Georgia – use the Local Rent website to book through a local agent (prices start from $20/day).
DAY TRIPS & CITY TOURS: Use Viator or Get Your Guide to browse a range of day trips and city tours. For off-beat programs, I recommend Friendly.ge (use the promocode wanderlush for 10% off). For in-depth day trips to Georgia’s wine regions, I recommend Eat This! Tours (use the promo code wanderlush for 5% off).
PRIVATE TRANSFERS: GoTrip.ge is a terrific service for booking a private professional driver and car for the day. Use it for A-to-B transfers, a customised round-trip itinerary, or a multi-day trip. You can stop wherever you like for as long as you like without the fixed price going up.
NEED SOME HELP?: Need feedback on your itinerary or personalised travel tips? I offer a one-on-one consultation call service for Tbilisi and Georgia. More information and bookings here.
More Kutaisi inspiration
- The best things to do in Kutaisi in 1-4 days, a suggested itinerary
- Kutaisi day trips, ideas for hiking, wine tasting & more
- Where to stay in Kutaisi, neighbourhood and hotel guide
- How to get from Kutaisi Airport to the city centre, detailed guide
- The best Kutaisi restaurants, where to eat in Kutaisi
- Where to drink in Kutaisi, best bars for wine, cocktails & music
- Things to do in Kutaisi in winter, off-season travel tips
- Visiting the caves & canyons around Kutaisi, a popular day excursion
- The best wineries near Kutaisi, where to do a wine tasting
- Guide to visiting Tskaltubo from Kutaisi, abandoned sanatoriums
- Guide to visiting Chiatura from Kutaisi, Soviet-era cable cars
What a lovely read, thank you. I wish I had come across your website before my trip to Kutaisi. Seems I have a lot of reasons to return!